Orthodoxy, believing that the Church on earth has remained and must remain visibly one,
naturally also believes itself to be that one visible Church. This is a bold claim, and to many it will
seem an arrogant one; but this is to misunderstand the spirit in which it is made. Orthodox believe
that they are the true Church, not on account of any personal merit, but by the grace of God.
They say with Saint Paul: "We are no better than pots of earthenware to contain this treasure; the
sovereign power comes from God and not from us" (2 Cor. 4:7). But while claiming no credit for
themselves, Orthodox are in all humility convinced that they have received a precious and unique
gift from God; and if they pretended to men that they did not possess this gift, they would be
guilty of an act of betrayal in the sight of heaven. (Bishop Kallistos Ware, "The Orthodox Church")


In so doing we are not inconsistent to affirm that heterodox believers have a deep and genuine faith
in Christ and that God will have mercy upon them. To that end we humbly submit a new apothegm:
“We know who is in the Church but we cannot be sure who will not be.” (Patrick Barnes, "The Non-Orthodox:
The Orthodox Teaching on Christians Outside of the Church", Regina Orthodox Press, 1999)


LINKS

Orthodox Church of America


T.R.Valentine's page - Christian History, Doctrine, Apologetics, the Filioque,
Ecumenical Synods, the Church Fathers, the Bible, Holy Tradition, Conversion stories.
Highlights: What Orthodox Christians believe ; The Filioque


OrthodoxWiki  - an online encyclopaedia
  

Christian Art: Icons, Murals, Mosaics


Bishop Alexander Mileant website  - On Christian faith and life, on Holy Scriptures, on prayer
and sacraments, on the life of saints, on theology, and selected writings from the holy fathers.


Excerpts from Bishop Kallistos' book "The Orthodox Church":
PART 1 - History ;  PART 2 - Faith and worship ;
(also see a traditionalist critique from the Orthodox Christian Information Center )


LXX.ORG  - ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE - OLD TESTAMENT PROJECT


Orthodox Christianity - Orthodoxy on the Web: directory, ratings, search system